Mastering a foreign language is a valuable tool that may be beneficial to one throughout one's life. However, current foreign language learning tools have several drawbacks that impede their utility. In U.S. Application 2006/0019223, a method and device for teaching foreign language is described. A fraction of the words in a text written in a known base language are replaced with synonymous words or phrases in a target foreign language that is being taught. The fraction of words that are replaced can be modified by the user.
Current foreign language learning tools may be able to teach users at different levels of proficiency. However, they are not able to assess a user's level of proficiency and custom-tailor a teaching tool for that user based on the user's assessed proficiency level.
One of the main hindrances to learning a foreign language is lack of time. Busy people often do not have the ability to set aside time on a regular basis to learn a new language. Existing foreign language learning tools utilize simple stories or mechanisms to teach the new language. However, they do not utilize resources which the user would already be reading to teach the new language, such as a magazine or newspaper article, thus maximizing use of the user's time.
Finally, current foreign language learning tools are often intimidating and boring, requiring memorization of rules and words.